Thursday, September 8, 2011

Teamwork

Tonight, before she had even heard the speech, while talking with Greta Van Susteren, on Fox News, Michele Bachmann slammed President Obama and his proposed bill, which Bachmann would later find out is called the "American Jobs Act." She did not even have the courtesy to hear the speech in person, claiming she was late due to "flooding." She did manage to attend the press conference afterwards, that she herself had called, outside of the approval of the official Republican party and then called Obama's presentation a "political speech" "containing nothing new." As a matter of fact, she seemed very disturbed that the President had had the nerve to call back 535 people "under the veil of one of the most sacred, deliberative forms - a joint session of Congress." I'm sorry, Ms. Bachmann, but isn't it your JOB to attend sessions of Congress...being a Congresswoman and all? She beseeched Congress to reject all that Obama had to offer, stating "What hasn't been tried and failed before?"

Has Ms. Bachmann ever played on a team?

After the President's speech, I was watching "Project Runway" on Bravo. Tonight's challenge had the 10 contestants form two groups of five, and each group had to design a fabric and create five outfits, with at least three of the looks incorporating the group's fabric design. My mother was also watching the show, and she remarked that she did not like when the Project Runway challenges involve working in a team....she said it made things harder, and each person should be able to work on their own. Well, I wouldn't vote my mother into Congress, any more than I would vote for Michele Bachmann.

My mother has been married for 54 years, and Michele Bachmann for around 30 years, I believe. How have they managed to maintain such long term partnerships without teamwork?

I am not new to teamwork....I was on the cheerleading squad in high school (and usually at the bottom of the pyramid due to my strength, a position I accepted for the sake of our performances). I played lacrosse in college for three years, and accepted the fact that I was best suited for defense, in positions that never carried personal glory, but did contribute to overall team pride.

When I was a police officer, we did not have partners - our town was divided into six sectors, and we each patrolled a sector in our own police car. But when a call came in that required two officers, you could not choose who would be responding with you; you approached the situation with whichever officer was dispatched, and had to trust that would defend your life as you would defend theirs. Even if you did not personally like the other officer, you had to swallow your differences and work together to handle the situation in the appropriate manner, to reach our ultimate purpose and goal - public safety!

Congress, of which Bachmann is a prime example, seems to have forgotten (if this group ever even knew) how to work as a team - their mantra has turned into "Everyman (rep) for him/herself." Just as the unemployed of America, Bachmann and her cohorts are just trying to survive and maintain their "careers." Congress needs to stop stabbing each other in the back, regroup and point their spears in the same direction. Reaching across the aisle, while crossing your fingers behind your back is no longer going to hold up in this country. Congress has to remember: You work for US - the people! You need to start acting like workers, and not like the boss. Your joint goal is to serve the American people, so, get back to work, and do the jobs we elected you to do...we don't owe you a "lifestyle", you owe US a team that makes us proud!

2 comments:

Great piece, Alison. You make the accurate and insightful point that the self-serving behaviors of the members of Congress are traits that would never 'fly' in other areas of life. It's incredibly frustrating to remember that these politicians earn tremendous salaries, health care, and pensions funded by American tax dollars. When will voters recognize the wool that is being pulled over their eyes? Glad to hear you spell it out, though. Keep it coming!